Tennōji-ku, Osaka

Location of Tennōji-ku in Osaka City

Tennōji (天王寺区, Tennōji-ku) is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It is named after the Shitennō-ji (Temple of the Four Heavenly Kings), which is located in the ward.

General information

Tennōji Park's atypical beauty in the neighborhood

Shitennō-ji temple

Tennōji Station is the city's main southeastern rail terminal with Osaka Municipal Subway's Tennōji Station Midōsuji Line and Tanimachi Line, JR Tennōji as the terminus of the JR Hanwa Line (and a major stop on the Kyoto Line, Osaka Loop Line, Yamatoji Line and Kansai Airport Line) and the Kintetsu Abenobashi Station, directly across the street from Tennōji station is the terminus of the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line. Consequently it has become a built up area in southern Osaka. The buildings around the station include, the Kintetsu department store, Mio, Station Plaza, and Hoop shopping malls, Apollo Movie Theater and Lucias department store. It addition, there are several shopping streets in the area including Abenobashisuji.

Crime

In 2011 body parts were found in a bin liner in Higashikozu Park. [1]

Economy

Aigan, the eyeglasses (spectacles) chain, is headquartered in Tennōji-ku.

Attractions

• Shitennō-ji Temple is a historical site only 10 minutes by foot from Tennōji.
• Isshin-ji is a temple located between Tennoji Park and Shitennō-ji.
• Tennōji Park, (immediately west of the station), includes a museum and Tennōji Zoo.
• Chausuyama Kofun is a Kofun located inside Tennōji Park.

Entertainment

Tennōji itself is home to the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, Tennōji Zoo, the Keitaku-en Japanese garden (built by the Sumitomo Corporation) and the Tennōji Botanical Garden.

There are three major shopping centers right by Tennōji Station: Mio, a hip, upscale mall; Kintetsu Department Store; and Hoop.

The nearby Shinsekai entertainment district was established in the early part of the last century and still teems with scores of eateries. It is overlooked by the Tsutenkaku tower, one of Osaka's most famous symbols.

Resources

• Osaka InfoGuide

Train stations

JR Tennōji Station

• West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
  • Osaka Loop Line: Tennōji Station - Teradachō Station - Momodani Station - Tsuruhashi Station - Tamatsukuri Station
  • Hanwa Line, Kansai Main Line (Yamatoji Line): Tennōji Station
• Kintetsu
  • Osaka Line: Osaka Uehommachi Station - Tsuruhashi Station
  • Osaka Abenobashi Station on the Minami-Osaka Line in Abeno-ku is close to Tennōji Station in Tennōji-ku.
• Hankai Tramway
  • Hankai Uemachi Line: Tennōji-eki-mae Station (Located in Abeno-ku, but close to Tennōji Station in Tennōji-ku.)
• Osaka Municipal Subway
  • Tanimachi Line: Tanimachi Kyuchome Station - Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station - Tennōji Station
  • Tennōji Station on the Midōsuji Line is located in Abeno-ku, but close to Tennōji-ku.
  • Sennichimae Line: Tanimachi Kyuchome Station - Tsuruhashi Station
  • Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line: Tamatsukuri Station

External links

• Official website of Tennōji (English)